


To A Thousand Pieces

by BlossomsintheMist



Category: Iron Man (Comic), Marvel 616
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Mild Sexual Content, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-15
Updated: 2013-02-15
Packaged: 2017-11-29 09:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/685294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlossomsintheMist/pseuds/BlossomsintheMist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story is simple enough—Tony and Rumiko go on a Valentine’s Day date; Tony’s late to start with, and Rumiko has something she wants to tell him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To A Thousand Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> Set sometime after Iron Man Vol. 3 #58 (Rumiko knows Tony is Iron Man). The title comes from a poem by Izumi Shikibu: This heart, longing for you, breaks to a thousand pieces—I wouldn’t lose one.

“Before you say anything,” Tony started, holding up a hand to forestall any comments, “I know I’m late.  I’m sorry.”  He gave her his most charming grin.  “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

Rumiko sighed and shook her head at him, her arms crossed against the front of her red silk dress, one which made every curve of her body look absolutely incredible and set off the long dark fall of her hair.  Red stones glinted in her earlobes.  She was stunning, and impeccably dressed up, and Tony just wondered how angry she was going to be.  “Was it business, or superhero stuff?” she asked, then seemed to consider.  “Or, well, I guess that’s business, too, isn’t it?”

Tony wasn’t sure what to make of her tone.  Was she angry at him, or not?  She probably should be, he was horrifyingly late to pick her up for their Valentine’s Day date.  “Business,” he said, with a sigh of his own.  “Got cornered by a legal assistant with paperwork on the way out the door.” 

Rumiko shook her head at him, smiling a little.  “And here I was hoping that it was at  _least_  some heroic rescue of a little old lady,” she said.

“Um,” Tony said.  This was weird; he had been prepared for her to be angry, had rehearsed how he was going to calm her down on the way over.  Was she really not mad?  “I mean, I could go and see if there’s any available for saving now, if you really want me to.”

That got her to really smile.  “That’s not going to be necessary, big guy,” she said, and came over to take his arm, smiling up at him.  He could smell her perfume, soft and sweet and a little bit spicy, and smiled despite himself.  “Okay, Iron Man,” she said.  “I’m going to forgive you, just this once.  Now take me out and show me a good time.”

“You’re not angry?” Tony said, still a little shocked.  “I brought you flowers and everything.”  They were waiting outside in the car; he thought it was at least a classy effort at an apology.

“I’m going to be, if you don’t take me out to the romantic dinner you promised me,” Rumiko said, smiling.  “What sort of flowers are they?”

“That’s a surprise,” Tony told her, “I’m not going to give it away.”  He kissed her nose, lightly, just a brush of his lips across the tip of it.  “And if you’re in such a rush to get there, come on, Happy’s waiting for us.”

She grabbed the back of his neck and dragged him down into a kiss full on the mouth, biting at his bottom lip hard enough to sting, just a little.  It made his whole body flush with heat, and he gasped despite himself, leaning forward to kiss her back, curling his arms around her waist before he knew what he was doing.  Her waist felt so small and slender under his hands, and he could feel the warmth of her skin beneath the soft give of the silk.  When she pulled away, he felt a little lightheaded and blinked to clear his vision.

“Well, I’m not going to kiss you like that in front of Happy, am I, Tony,” she said with a grin, more than a little breathless herself, and grabbed him by the arm to pull him after her.

Tony really hadn’t intended to be late.  He’d planned out the kind of date he knew Rumiko liked—dancing, and then a quiet, romantic dinner at an exclusive restaurant.  At this point they weren’t going to make it to the dancing, but he was holding out hope that she’d still enjoy dinner. 

She liked the flowers, at least, hibiscus and moonflowers, because he wasn’t a traditional sort of guy, and she picked out one of the hibiscus flowers and stuck it in her hair, behind her ear.  She was in a hurry to get to the restaurant and went on ahead of him, so Tony hung back to talk to the maître d’ about when to bring out dessert.

Rumiko smiled at Tony when he joined her at the table, and nodded out the window.  “It’s beautiful,” she said.  The table had a view of the ocean and the city, and it was a nice one.  He’d chosen this restaurant partly because of it.  

“No lava this time,” he said, “I swear.” 

She laughed.  “Don’t say that, a supervillain will show up again just to spite you,” she said, and he groaned. 

“I guess I’d better knock on wood,” he said.

She grinned.  “Yep.  Or you could kiss me, you know, for good luck.” 

“I thought I already did,” he told her, crossing his arms across his chest and grinning.

“That wasn’t a good luck kiss,” she told him, jabbing him in the chest with one finger, “that was a  _you’re finally here and you didn’t blow me off again_  kiss.  I’d think you’d know the difference by now.”

“Well, then, I guess you’d better show me, so I can remember for the future,” Tony told her.  “I am a genius, I’m sure I’ll figure it out.”

“Only a genius with machines,” Rumiko said, but she kissed him again, and let him sink his hand into her hair, toying with the flower.  “Hey,” she said, and knocked his hand away, before she went back to kissing him.  “That’s mine now, you don’t get to take it back.”

He laughed.  “Sorry,” he said, and kissed her again, lightly.  “Private property, I get it.”

The waiter cleared his throat from behind them, and Rumiko grinned over her shoulder at him.  “Hey,” she said.  “Is there a set menu at this place, or what?” 

It was a good dinner, and Tony thought Rumiko was enjoying herself.  He could feel himself starting to relax and just enjoy her company, her jokes, her laughter, the sight of her across the table from him with a flower in her hair.  He was surprised when she sobered abruptly halfway through the meal, put down her glass of raspberry cider (she’d been excited about the unusual ciders the restaurant had, and insisted on trying four of them to Tony’s more typical apple), and leaned forward.  “Look, Tony,” she said, and he felt his shoulders tense.

“Yeah?”  He tried not to feel like she was about to break up with him.

She scowled.  “Don’t give me that kicked puppy look, lover boy,” she said, and took his hand between both of hers.  “I’m not breaking it off or anything.”

“Oh,” he said.  He tried not to sound too relieved, and by the way she shook her head at him, failed completely.

“I’m actually …” she laughed and ducked her head a little.  “I’m actually trying to say something here,” she said.  “Look, this was nice, really nice.  I mean, it’s perfect.  Everything a girl wants.  But tonight you’ve been tense this whole time—worried about getting it perfect, worried about impressing me, worried about what I’m thinking.  And I mean, I appreciate it.”  She dropped a quick, soft kiss on his knuckles, still holding his hand between both of hers.  “It’s sweet, and a little unnecessary, but that’s not the point.  Every girl likes to be made a big deal of.  I know I do, probably more than most!  But … look.”  She sighed, and looked off to the side.

“I don’t do it just because of that, Ru,” Tony told her.  His throat felt suddenly tight.  “I do it because …”

“Shh,” she said, and looked back at him with a rueful smile.  Her mouth was crooked, her lips soft and crooked and her jaw tight, her eyes a little wet.  “I’m not going to make you talk about feelings, I know how bad you are at it.  But you know, in Japan, the girl gives the man chocolate on Valentine’s Day?”

Tony blinked, not prepared for that particular segue.  “Yeah,” he said.

Rumiko grinned a little more widely, but it was still that wry, uncertain smile he wasn’t used to seeing on her face.  “I got you some,” she said, and reached into her purse, brought out a box, and handed it to him.

The box was red and gold, and shiny.  It had an embossed logo in the face of Iron Man’s helmet on it, and he stared at it for a moment.

She laughed, though her voice still sounded a little odd.  “Yeah, aren’t they amazing?” she said.  “Hilarious, right? I got them in a department store in the Ginza.  The point is … you know, you don’t have to always be trying to wow me.  I like  _you_ , Tony.  You don’t always have to put on a show, or worry about …” she waved a hand.  “All this.  You don’t have to be so tense—I want to have fun with you, not stress you out more.  Not that I don’t enjoy it.  I’m shallow and flamboyant and flashy and vain, I know all that, I love all of it, the parties, the money, the playgirl lifestyle, you showering me with gifts.”  She smiled at him, and it still looked tight, like her throat felt locked tight and aching, too.  ”But I love you, too, you know.”

Tony stared at her for a minute, trying to find the words to respond, then dug his fingers into his palm.  He really needed not to freeze up again, needed to find the right words this time.  “I want things to be perfect for you,” he said.  “That’s all.  Because you deserve better than a string of dates that don’t happen and messages on your voice mail.”

She smiled at him.  “You don’t do too badly,” she said, then kissed his hand again and let it go.  “Now, you’ve got your dessert, but I want mine!”

“Does this mean I need to buy you lingerie in March?” Tony asked, and Rumiko’s eyes sparkled.

“Yes,” she said.  “The more expensive, the better—and it better not be red and gold, I’m telling you that right now.”

Tony laughed and pocketed the box of chocolate.  “I’ll save them for later,” he said.  “Let’s share dessert.  I can feed it to you.”

“Hmm,” Rumiko said.  “You know, I like that idea.”

“They do say I’m a genius,” Tony said.

Later that night, Rumiko rolled over and propped herself up on one arm, tracing one finger down Tony’s nose as he lay in bed, down over his lips and neck to his collarbone.  She was still wearing the necklace he'd given her, lapis lazuli for her name, and diamonds.  “That’s better,” she said, with a laugh.

“Than what?” Tony said, still gasping a little, trying to catch his breath.  She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, rolling over on top of him so her breasts pressed soft against his chest, and he sighed and touched his lips to her neck in slow, gentle kisses.

“Mmm,” she said, and sank her hand into his hair, running it through the strands, over the back of his neck.  “Ah, that feels good.  Better than earlier.” 

“Excuse me?”  Tony muttered against her neck, and she giggled.

“Not what I meant, lover,” she said.  “That part was fantastic.”

“Good,” Tony huffed. 

Rumiko screwed up her nose, laughing.  “Wow, I got your manly pride there, didn’t I?” she asked.  “No, you are amazing in bed, which I hope you’re aware of by this point, because if you’re not, you’re ridiculous.”

“I am,” Tony said.  “But thanks anyway.  I like my work to be appreciated.”

“I know,” Rumiko said, and smirked.  She ran her hand down over his shoulder.  “What I meant was, you’re relaxed,” she said.  “Having fun.”  She grinned.  “Sweaty and tired.”

“Yes, you wore me out, you insatiable vixen,” Tony said, and laughed when she balled up her fist and punched him in the shoulder, leaning up to kiss her again.  She sighed and relaxed against him, twining her tongue with his and leaning up into him, pulling him even closer.

“So it was a good date?” he said when she pulled away again, and sighed, and stretched, tucking herself in beside him so she could lay her head in the hollow of his neck and run her hand lightly over his chest.  “Good Valentine’s Day?”

“Did you have a good time?” she asked, yawning.

He smiled a little, playing with her hair.  “The best.”

“Then it was good,” she said, and sighed with pleasure as he moved his hand up to massage her neck.  “You have a million years to quit doing that,” she said.  “Mmm.  Thanks for the necklace, by the way.”

“I thought it would look good on you,” Tony said, and kissed her forehead.  ”And it does.”

She smiled sleepily, her eyes closed.  “’Course it does,” she said, and rubbed her hand affectionately over his chest.  “Good night, Tony.”

He kissed her hair, and she smiled again and snuggled closer, quickly dropping off into sleep.  He watched her sleep for a moment, then sighed and pulled her closer, still massaging her neck.

“Thanks for putting up with me,” he whispered into her hair, and he thought,  _I love you, too_.


End file.
